Notes from our January 31st Meeting

CHANGE IS HAPPENING! met Saturday,January 31^st, from 1-3 pm at the Green Valley Library. Thirty five folks heard a brief overview of our activities from the campaign, the transition period and then discussed our group’s future plans to support the new Obama administration’s priorities.

Update on activities. Since the election Change is Happening! has:

1) Hosted an initial planning meeting, (attended by 50 people from Green Valley, Sahuarita and Amado) responding to the Transition Team’s request for a local perspective on national priorities.

2) Conducted meeting of a healthcare working group (attended by 20), that responded to the Transition Teams’s request for a detailed report on health care reform.

3) Held a successful food drive called for by Barack Obama to commemorate Martin Luther King’s Birthday and Day of Service. (More than 1500 pounds of food and $1600 collected.)

4) Conducted meeting of an Economy Working Group (attended by 20) The group sought to understand what is happening to people during this economic crisis and what it is the government can do. Only with understanding can we ask the government for help. The group intends to monitor activity when the government does act in order to offer feedback.

5) Restarted our letter writing group (8 attended) to make plans for providing information to the community on local, state and national issues. It is hoped that the GVNews will entertain monthly guest opinions and regular letters to the editor from us. Other communication efforts will also be considered by this working group, including a blog.

Discussion. Purpose and Work

The objective of the planning meeting Saturday was to determine how our community would like to continue our efforts together and work with “Organizing for America,” the vehicle developed by the Obama Transition Team, to further grassroots involvement in and encourage feedback to government.

Organizing for America is a new, never-attempted before effort. Therefore we understand that it—and we as a group - will evolve and will need, over time, to continue to evaluate what and how we operate.

On the local level, we can be and do what we want. The consensus of the group was that we have gathered in order to support and further the implementation of principles that we were inspired by during Obama’s campaign. (There was also a consensus that we would not all always agree with his, or each others ideas.)

Tossing around a draft “Statement of Purpose” for a group that continues to want to operate rather loosely (rather than develop a formalized organization and structure with membership, bylaws, etc.) the group focused on the following concepts:

§ We are a group of citizens* who believe that democracy requires participation;

§ We will inform ourselves and others in the community on the issues;

§ We aim to mobilize citizen support through working groups and communication efforts;

§ And we will act as a local sounding board, interacting with the administration, as they are requesting us to do, to provide grassroots feedback on priorities, issues and legislation.

*Note: because we are happily a diverse group with diverse opinions, much discussion centered around using an adjective before the word citizens such as nonpartisan, independent or concerned—and decided not to use any adjective.

How we will work together.

Formation of new working groups and leadership for Change is Happening! and all of the working groups was discussed. Interface with other local organizations (e.g., DCSRA, environmental groups, League of Women’s voters, etc.) are available in order to learn, join forces and avoid duplication of effort, particularly in the realms of local and State issues. Broadening our ability to inform is encouraged by inviting neighbors and friends to working group meetings.

There is interest, as other issues become high administration priorities/actions, to form groups on Energy/Environment/Global Warming; Education; and Defense/Foreign Policy. It might be advantageous to identify interest early on so that we are able to respond to quickly, as our experience is that requests for “house party” meetings typically are requested to be scheduled within a week. (On the other hand, “standing” working groups may not be necessary and meetings will be called only when there is a purpose to do so.)

Our own group process is intended to continue to be open and transparent. Currently there is an ad hoc four-person coordinating group and five working groups listed below. It is hoped that even more people will continue to step up with ideas, activities, and time to organize these important grassroots efforts called for by Barack Obama and his new administration.

Upcoming Meetings

(meetings are open to all)

Working Groups

Economy Working Group (contact: Rick Ernst, rickernst1@cox.net) Tuesday, Feb. 3 GV Library Small meeting room, 2-4 pm

Afghanistan Working Group (new) (contact: Georgia Hotton, georgia5_2002@hotmail.com) Wednesday, Feb. 4th GV Library Small meeting room, 9:30 am

Letter Writing (communications) Working Group: (contact: MaryLou James marylou_lay@cox.net) Saturday, Feb. 7 GV Library 1-3 p.m.

Community Service Working Group TBA (contact: Peggy Pierce, voteaction2@cox.net) Current activity includes determining if there is a need or a gap that is not already being filled by the many local volunteers, perhaps also including in Amado and/or Tucson.

Healthcare Working Group TBA (contact: Diane Meyer DMeyerMCS@aol.com)

CHANGE IS HAPPENING! Monthly Meeting (3^rd Saturday of the month), (contact: Kathy Killeen thekilleens@gmail.com), February 28, GV Library Large Meeting Room, 1-3 pm